


Goodnight, For the Last Time

by TheMightiestPotato



Category: Blood Lad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-07 18:42:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11629587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMightiestPotato/pseuds/TheMightiestPotato
Summary: Extremely short ficlet focusing on the night Staz's parents die, and the events that follow. Will update sporadically.





	1. Chapter 1

Richarz watches from the doorway as his wife sits by Liz's bedside. She hesitates in moving away from their youngest, he counts five times so far that she’s stopped stroking her head only to continue after a brief second of thought. 

“This could be my last time doing this…” She voices softly. Liz stirs briefly in her sleep and he sees the small smile that quirks his wife’s lips. Her hand rests on the toddler’s chubby cheek as she presses a gentle kiss to the other and finally moves away. The light of the hallway behind him glints off the wet trail a lone tear left on her cheek. He reaches for her hand and squeezes it gently in his.

“It won’t be.” He promises. 

It’s one he knows he won’t be able to keep, and so does she if the hard glint in her eyes are anything to go by. But still, she nods and stares ahead as she leaves Liz’s room. He looks towards his only daughter once more and breathes out before he turns. He leaves the door slightly ajar, as he’s done plenty of nights before. 

(He hopes he can do it again.)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short bridge, next chapter will have our favourite weeaboo piece of shit back when he was a kiddo.

“Did you talk to Braz?” 

“I did.”

“And?” 

“What do you expect? He wasn’t happy.” He hasn’t been happy for the past few months, when the door first creaked and Richarz immediately named Wolf Daddy as his heir. It was a spur of the moment decision, but one he stands by. 

He couldn’t let this responsibility fall onto his son’s shoulders. Braz was clever but not much of a fighter; he could win easily through subterfuge and manipulation, but this wasn’t an enemy where that would work. 

His jaw clenches and he breathes in. 

“He’ll be fine.” He says evenly as he releases the breath. “He’s resourceful.” 

“And Staz?” She’s looking at him expectantly, a playful glint to her eye as if they were heading to a meeting with governors he hated, not their potential ends. He looks towards the door of the boy in question and scowls at the light from the bottom of the door.

“Up past his bedtime. _Again_.”


	3. Chapter 3

He’s scowling at the doorway; as if Staz could sense his glare and take the silent hint to get back into bed.

But of course, Staz isn’t a psychic and he’s not exactly the sharpest of their children – where Braz could easily read moods and respond to them in his own simple way, and Liz was learning the same herself, Staz was just completely oblivious. Richarz didn't know if he just didn't pick up on them, or if he did and actively chose to ignore them.

Richarz opens the door completely and presses his lips into a thin line. His wife covers her mouth to hide her smile as Staz either doesn’t notice or blatantly ignores the two of them standing in his doorway. Instead, he's holding his toys in the air and narrating some imaginary conflict going on between them.

He smacks the toy out of his left hand and laughs maniacally, throwing his head back and shaking the remaining one in victory.

“Staz.” His son freezes at the sound of his name and slowly turns to look at his parents. Immediately, his eyes shift to the side, avoiding eye contact. “You should be asleep.” He pouts and flicks his eyes to look at his father, gauging his mood for a moment before he looks away again.

“Couldn’t sleep. Everything feels weird.” Beside him, his wife reacts just slightly – her back straightens and there’s a glimpse of worry over her face before she trains it into a small smile and approaches him.

Richarz hangs back and lets her deal with it, she’s always been better at handling Staz’s little oddities than he has.

“Feels weird how?” She asks gently as she settles into the bed beside him, Staz wastes no time in resting against her and wrapping his arms around her. He pouts at nothing and offers a half a shrug in response.

“Don’t know.” He looks towards his father as if he had the answer on his face. Richarz sighs softly and moves to kneel in front of his son, hand gently ruffling his hair. Staz doesn’t look comforted by the affection, but he presses into the hand nonetheless. “Like you two are going away.” He says finally, looking to his mother as he does. “You aren’t, are you?”

His wife hesitates and he doesn’t know quite how to answer either. He feels himself tense and Staz looks at him expectantly.

Richarz swallows and shakes his head.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about, go back to bed.”

It’s such a typical answer from him that it actually puts his son at ease, Staz’s shoulders and expression relax even as he grumbles and releases his mother from the hug, crawling under his blanket once more.

He knows his wife will hesitate in leaving, so he gently rests his hand on her shoulder and looks towards the door. She gets the hint and nods, standing to leave but pressing a gentle kiss to Staz’s forehead before she does.

“Goodnight, Staz.”

“Night, mum.” He mumbles in reply as his parents leave the room.


End file.
